Essay Prompts

Select one of the prompts below in preparation for your Song of Solomonliterary analysis essay. Please note that you will be required to cite three outside sources within your essay.

Simply put, the Marxist literary critic is concerned with “issues of power and money and overcoming oppression.” In a well-developed essay, explore the relationship between racism and classism in Song of Solomon. Give examples of how each are portrayed and then reflect upon why Morrison chose to include these factors. When planning your essay, it may be helpful to conduct research on the individual histories of classism and racism in the United States. How do these concepts contribute to the meaning of the work as a whole?

Feminist literary criticism is concerned with “…the ways in which literature (and other cultural productions) reinforce or undermine the economic, political, social, and psychological oppression of women.” In a well-developed essay, explore how the role of women manifests throughout Song of Solomon. When planning your essay, it may be helpful to conduct research on the Women’s Rights Movement as well as on Toni Morrison’s life and background. How does this contribute to the meaning of the work as a whole?

Sociological literary criticism “examines literature in the cultural, economic, and political context in which it is written or received.” In a well-developed essay, explore how the historical allusions in Song of Solomon help shape Morrison’s political statement. When planning your essay, it may be helpful to conduct research on specific historical events as well as on Toni Morrison’s life and background. How does this contribute to the meaning of the work as a whole?

Archetypal literary criticism stems from the work of Carl Gustav Jung, particularly from his theory that “humanity has a ‘collective unconscious that manifests itself in dreams, myths, and literature through archetypes: persistent images, figures, and story patterns shared by people across diverse cultures.’” Furthermore, these patterns are “embedded deep in the ‘collective unconscious’ and involve ‘racial memories’ of situations, events, relationships from time immemorial.” In a well-developed essay, explore how Jung’s ideas are present in Song of Solomon. When planning your essay, it may be helpful to conduct research on specific allusions to various belief systems both ancient and modern. How do these allusions support or debunk Jung’s theory about the collective unconscious and racial memories? How does this contribute to the meaning of the work as a whole?